Pulkkinen sent back to GR

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Cause killing penalties is for losers.

Pretty sure jurco glendening Franzen datsyuk zetterberg sheahan are capable of killing penalties and all 4 lines would be a threat to score at all times

Why would we take out one of our best pkers for Jurco? And Franzen on the fourth would get mauled by other teams. If Franzen comes back, he should be on a line with Goose, because they had good chemistry before. Sheahan makes a great center for that because he does a lot of the gritty work, but has great vision.

How would Franzen get mauled ? Didn't we draft him to be a checking player? All he has to do is play 2 way hockey and with his shot he'd be able to score at any time ... Jurco hits and is a 2 way player as well and glendening obviously does the same

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

Pretty sure jurco glendening Franzen datsyuk zetterberg sheahan are capable of killing penalties and all 4 lines would be a threat to score at all times

We DO NOT want Z or Datsyuk killing penalties. If they do, they're forced to play way too many minutes and their offensive games would suffer. Also, Franzen's not that great at killing penalties.

We don't need 4 scoring lines and the defensive side of our game would suffer too much. Miller will always go under-appreciated, it seems...

[rick zombo 3,739]

We DO NOT want Z or Datsyuk killing penalties. If they do, they're forced to play way too many minutes and their offensive games would suffer. Also, Franzen's not that great at killing penalties.

We don't need 4 scoring lines and the defensive side of our game would suffer too much. Miller will always go under-appreciated, it seems...

Preeeeeeeeecisely.

[Euro_Twins 4,485]

We DO NOT want Z or Datsyuk killing penalties. If they do, they're forced to play way too many minutes and their offensive games would suffer. Also, Franzen's not that great at killing penalties.

We don't need 4 scoring lines and the defensive side of our game would suffer too much. Miller will always go under-appreciated, it seems...

Ya this was a major cause of lost time to injuries for them last year? Do we need a repeat of that?

[mvanpop 98]

We DO NOT want Z or Datsyuk killing penalties. If they do, they're forced to play way too many minutes and their offensive games would suffer. Also, Franzen's not that great at killing penalties.

We don't need 4 scoring lines and the defensive side of our game would suffer too much. Miller will always go under-appreciated, it seems...

I wasn't advocating making Z and Pav pk or taking Miller out. I'm just thinking it would be nice to have at least a minor offensive threat at all times to help us out in away games where other coaches sometimes are able to counter our lines too easily

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

I wasn't advocating making Z and Pav pk or taking Miller out. I'm just thinking it would be nice to have at least a minor offensive threat at all times to help us out in away games where other coaches sometimes are able to counter our lines too easily

We sort of do have " a minor offensive threat" on the 4th line. I mean Glendening has 9 goals - that's pretty good for a guy that's played the majority of his time on the 4th line. Also, one of the wings usually features Weiss or Jurco.

Anyway, I think the key to creating matchup problems is having a dangerous 3rd line which we could put together with our roster.

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Yes it's important to play good defense but we have alot of good 2 way guys on the team .... I think if we have 4 lines with scoring threats it will cause headaches to other teams ... Mule on the 4th line playing against other 4th liners and bottom d pairs could get us big goals in key moments same with the 3rd line

That being said Babcock loves miller so I dont think he wont go anywhere and the only chance pulkkinen stays is if he makes it hard for Us to send him down

And besides no idea if mule returns and if someone will get hurt (knock on wood) so we'll have to wait and see

[Jesusberg 1,256]

The regular season is one thing, but in the playoffs there's no player I'd rather see kill a 5-on-3 than Henrik Zetterberg. If they want to put Mule in over Andersson, I'd be for it. I think this team should have ten "locks" for spots in the playoffs:

Helm-Datsyuk-Tatar

Abby-Z-Cole

Nyquist-Sheahan-?

Miller-Glendening-?

You can fill in those spots with two of: Mule, Weiss, Andersson, Jurco and/or Pulkkinen. I've never seen much in Andersson - he has the odd game where he skates well. I think Jurco's got potential, but I almost think this season is a write-off for him - he's got no confidence. That leaves the other three guys. If Pulkkinen is clicking on that third line, I'd give him a look in the post-season. The point is, I think giving Franzen a shot is worth it, if all it means is replacing Andersson in the line-up.

Either way, you can still run the main PK unit of Miller-Glendening, then have Helm-Abby on rare occasions use Z and/or Datsyuk in there. There are plenty of two-way forwards in the line-up. Sheahan could work on the PK, too.

[LeftWinger 5,130]

Pulk has to be on Dats line from now on out. Pulk - Dats - Tats is an awesome line. Cement Hands has no business being anywhere near the top line and Glenny is not suited or it either. The Dats line needs the scoring ability of Pulk, NOT the ineptness of Cement Hands.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Cement hands? You mean Helm who has 13 goals, 6th on the team, or Abdelkader who has 17, 4th on the team? Both are better than one dimensional Pulkkinen.

[mvanpop 98]

Helm has been great for us this year. No matter how he can struggle in breakaways he still is able to create those opportunities and he brings speed and energy to his line with Dats and Tats

[kipwinger 8,755]

Cement hands? You mean Helm who has 13 goals, 6th on the team, or Abdelkader who has 17, 4th on the team? Both are better than one dimensional Pulkkinen.

Shhhhhhh...Abby and Helm suck and are fourth liners at best. Don't diverge from the narrative.

Pulk has to be on Dats line from now on out. Pulk - Dats - Tats is an awesome line. Cement Hands has no business being anywhere near the top line and Glenny is not suited or it either. The Dats line needs the scoring ability of Pulk, NOT the ineptness of Cement Hands.

I read that Winging It in Motown blog too. But it's bulls***. It's not like Pulkkinen was playing with scrubs. Babs gave him several games with Zetterberg and he didn't produce jack squat. The answer to all our offensively under performance issues can't be "put him with Datsyuk". He's played with good players and hasn't produced that well. That's not a good reason to give him more ice time with better players. And that's not a good strategy to begin with. This is the part of the season when we're trying to win games and establish home ice for the playoffs, not worry about the development of rookies.

Edit: Oh yeah, that blog was especially retarded because it implicitly compared Pulkkinen to Brett Hull (again). A comparison that is made all too often, and only sounds dumber the more it's repeated.

Edited March 11, 2015 by kipwinger

[rick zombo 3,739]

Pulk has to be on Dats line from now on out. Pulk - Dats - Tats is an awesome line. Cement Hands has no business being anywhere near the top line and Glenny is not suited or it either. The Dats line needs the scoring ability of Pulk, NOT the ineptness of Cement Hands.

We get it. You hate Helm.

[number9 3,297]

I thought cement hands was mcgrattans nickname

[kipwinger 8,755]

I thought cement hands was mcgrattans nickname

Put him with Datsyuk and his nickname would be Silky. On account of his hands.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Pulk has to be on Dats line from now on out. Pulk - Dats - Tats is an awesome line. Cement Hands has no business being anywhere near the top line and Glenny is not suited or it either. The Dats line needs the scoring ability of Pulk, NOT the ineptness of Cement Hands.

Helm has shown decent touch this season. Besides, if he skates around like a maniac and forechecks hard like usual, that's insanely valuable. Tatar and Pav will score on that line anyways. Pulkkinen can't get the puck to those two or create space anywhere near the level that Helm can.

Edited March 11, 2015 by GoWings1905

[Buppy 1,720]

...

Babs gave him several games with Zetterberg and he didn't produce jack squat. The answer to all our offensively under performance issues can't be "put him with Datsyuk". He's played with good players and hasn't produced that well. That's not a good reason to give him more ice time with better players. And that's not a good strategy to begin with. This is the part of the season when we're trying to win games and establish home ice for the playoffs, not worry about the development of rookies.

Edit: Oh yeah, that blog was especially retarded because it implicitly compared Pulkkinen to Brett Hull (again). A comparison that is made all too often, and only sounds dumber the more it's repeated.

Game and a half before Hank got hurt. And he had 6 shots.

His gpg is the same as Helm and Franzen, not too far under Zetterberg, better than Weiss, Sheahan, or Glendening. G/60 better than Abdelkader. His fancy stats (however little they may be worth) are among the best in the league. His 82 game pace is 17-18g right now. Tatar had 4g in his first 14 games this year. 2g in his first 14 last year. Nyquist had 4g in his first 14 last year. Helm had 0g his first 14. Abby had 5g. Glendening had 1g. Zetterberg had 4. Cole had 4.

He's probably not ready to handle top 6 competition (especially on the defense side), but he is not underperforming.

[kipwinger 8,755]

Game and a half before Hank got hurt. And he had 6 shots.

His gpg is the same as Helm and Franzen, not too far under Zetterberg, better than Weiss, Sheahan, or Glendening. G/60 better than Abdelkader. His fancy stats (however little they may be worth) are among the best in the league. His 82 game pace is 17-18g right now. Tatar had 4g in his first 14 games this year. 2g in his first 14 last year. Nyquist had 4g in his first 14 last year. Helm had 0g his first 14. Abby had 5g. Glendening had 1g. Zetterberg had 4. Cole had 4.

He's probably not ready to handle top 6 competition (especially on the defense side), but he is not underperforming.

What's your point? We both agree he shouldn't be put with datsyuk. Which was what we were discussing.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

I thought cement hands was mcgrattans nickname

Since GMR hasn't gotten to this yet, McGrattan would score 30 goals with Datsyuk ala Probert (200+pims too)

[Buppy 1,720]

What's your point? We both agree he shouldn't be put with datsyuk. Which was what we were discussing.

Exactly. Would be unfair to the rest of the league. Probably lead to a worldwide shortage of goal netting, he'd wear them out so fast. Then you'd have spoiled Canadian kids stealing mosquito nets from Unicef, and frankly those kids in the Congo have enough problems. #thinkofthechildren

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Exactly. Would be unfair to the rest of the league. Probably lead to a worldwide shortage of goal netting, he'd wear them out so fast. Then you'd have spoiled Canadian kids stealing mosquito nets from Unicef, and frankly those kids in the Congo have enough problems. #thinkofthechildren

Don't you mean #TANKofthechildren?

[kipwinger 8,755]

Exactly. Would be unfair to the rest of the league. Probably lead to a worldwide shortage of goal netting, he'd wear them out so fast. Then you'd have spoiled Canadian kids stealing mosquito nets from Unicef, and frankly those kids in the Congo have enough problems. #thinkofthechildren

At his current rate of production it'll take a little under 4 games for him to register a single point, let alone score a goal. I think the nets are safe, regardless of his linemates.

Edited March 12, 2015 by kipwinger

[WingsallTheway 383]

Pulk has to be on Dats line from now on out. Pulk - Dats - Tats is an awesome line. Cement Hands has no business being anywhere near the top line and Glenny is not suited or it either. The Dats line needs the scoring ability of Pulk, NOT the ineptness of Cement Hands.

Ehhh, I agree with you.

Maybe not Pulkinnen, but if Helm had scoring ability Dats would probably have 15 more assists this year

I'm still confused as to why Abby and Cole are playing with Z. One of them should be with Dats

Edited March 12, 2015 by WingsallTheway

[kipwinger 8,755]

Datsyuk's two best offensive seasons (2008, 2009) came with Holmstrom on his line. In those two season Holmstrom scored 40 pts. (20G, 20A) one year, and 37 pts. (14G, 23A) the next.

Given how that line is scoring with Helm, I'd imagine Helm will finish the season somewhere in the 35-40 point ballpark (he's got 29 already).

If anything, the fact that Tatar isn't as good as Zetterberg or Hossa is a bigger impact on Pav's numbers. Not the fact that Helm isn't Holmstrom.

[WingsallTheway 383]

Datsyuk's two best offensive seasons (2008, 2009) came with Holmstrom on his line. In those two season Holmstrom scored 40 pts. (20G, 20A) one year, and 37 pts. (14G, 23A) the next.

Given how that line is scoring with Helm, I'd imagine Helm will finish the season somewhere in the 35-40 point ballpark (he's got 29 already).

If anything, the fact that Tatar isn't as good as Zetterberg or Hossa is a bigger impact on Pav's numbers. Not the fact that Helm isn't Holmstrom.

I see the point your trying to make and it does have basis

But our 08/09 teams were twice as good as the one we have now. We also had Lidstrom/Raffi, Kronwall on the second pairing, and Ericsson as a sixth defenceman.

That year our PP was absolutely lethal. Having a legit 1st,2nd,3rd,4th line opened up Datsyuk and Zetterberg tremendously. All of our lines could score.